President Schneider-Ammann meets European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Zurich

Bern, 19.09.2016 - President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann met with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, in Zurich on Monday to discuss the current state of relations between Switzerland and the European Union. One of the main topics was the implementation of Article 121a of the Federal Constitution on immigration. In the evening, the two presidents attended an event to mark the 70th anniversary of the historic speech on Europe given by Winston Churchill in Zurich.

At their meeting, President Schneider-Ammann and the European Commission president discussed the state of talks between Switzerland and the EU on a number of dossiers, in particular the implementation of Article 121a of the Federal Constitution on immigration.

Mr Schneider-Ammann explained the ongoing parliamentary process to revise the Foreign Nationals Act. Other topics covered included the path towards ratifying the Croatia Protocol and ways of ensuring Switzerland’s full association to the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Switzerland and the EU will continue to hold regular exchanges in the coming months.

It is in the interests of both parties to safeguard and continue to develop the bilateral path, which has been beneficial for both Switzerland and the EU. Switzerland is therefore willing to continue to pursue negotiations on an institutional agreement within the framework of the defined negotiating mandate. Mr Schneider-Ammann stressed that Switzerland was not able to accept a legal link between the dossiers on immigration and an institutional agreement.